Underplayed Gems

Culina: Hands in the Kitchen (2016)

Culina: Hands in the Kitchen cover
Developer
Lakeview Interactive LLC
Platforms
Windows, macOS, Linux
Genres
Casual, Indie, Simulation
Rating
2.5 of 5, 14 player ratings
Typical playtime
about 5.5 hours
Where to get it
Steam
The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

You run a small restaurant by buying ingredients, crafting recipes, and making pricing and marketing decisions based on customer preferences and data.

casualmanagementstrategicslice of lifedata-drivenlow-stakesindiesimulation

What players say

Players praise the art, characters, and wholesome story, but many find the business simulation tedious and the economy punishing, with some calling the game impossible. The ending is abrupt and unsatisfying. There is disagreement on whether the mix of visual novel and kitchen sim works well. Long-time players note the game has not been updated since its 2016 release.

Screenshots

Culina: Hands in the Kitchen screenshot 1Culina: Hands in the Kitchen screenshot 2Culina: Hands in the Kitchen screenshot 3Culina: Hands in the Kitchen screenshot 4Culina: Hands in the Kitchen screenshot 5

More games like this

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.